“I have got a wife for every man that has come to me” - Clones match-making case dismissed in Court

Clones, 19 October 1923 - A case arising from a match-making arrangement that went wrong was dismissed on the 17th of October before a Clones court on where the quarter sessions were being heard.

The court heard how a farmer from Carney’s Island was being pursued for the recovery of 30s and  motor car hire alleged to have been paid on behalf of a Mr. Hugh Nicholl from Clones. Mr. Nicholl had been contracted by the farmer to procure for him a wife, for which he was to be paid a sum of £10.

This was not his first time to undertake such a task. When questioned by the Judge as to whether he had much success in his previous endeavours of match-making, Mr. Nicholl responded: ‘I have, your honour. I have got a wife for every man that has come to me.’

In this instance, too, Mr. Nicholl said he was successful in securing a wife for the farmer. The bridegroom engaged two motor cars for the wedding party, but when he went to engage a third, when the owner of that motor requested payment at the conclusion of the wedding. However, as the bridegroom had no cash at the time, Mr. Nicholl covered the cost and the bridegroom then refused to recoup the sum. During the court proceedings the bridegroom denied that he had ever issued an instruction to order a third car for the wedding party.

However, the solicitor acting for the plaintiff robustly challenged this denial: ‘You get my client to get you a wife, when you could not get one yourself, and you want to allow him nothing for his trouble? ’Mr. Nicholl, when asked by the Judge as to how well remunerated he was for his match-making services and whether he received a percentage of the bride’s fortune or a fixed fee, responded: ‘I am not paid very well, your Honour. Sometimes I get nothing.’

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]